Thula Sindi is one of South Africa best known young designers. Sophisticated, elegant, chic, feminine and timeless adequately describe his creations that graciously adorn the female form in all its facets, both young and matured. Not one to sit around and wait for inspiration, Sindi is constantly documenting his sketches and design concepts in what he describes as a ‘virtual vault of ideas’ he can tap into when its time to produce a new collection.

Born in Klersdorp, Northwest Province, Sindi’s primary interest was in fine art but at 16, he caught the fashion bug and has never looked back. “I found fashion a perfect medium to mix colours, concept and proportion and the immediate and dynamic nature of the fashion business. Sindi, is a graduate of the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg, and studied at the London International School of Fashion (LISOF). His first job was head designer at Dutch textile company Vlisco, a day after he graduated.

Inspired by the modern woman, her needs, how she chooses to dress, express herself and navigate her complex life, Sindi says it is the “complexity that inspires me to create items of clothing which enhance and streamline her lifestyle.” He does not tell a lie – his collection at the 2011 Joburg Fashion Week was a commemoration to femininity and critics say it “transported womanhood to its origins of tenderness, softness and grace”.

Sindi’s work has graced many runways including Hong Kong, Beijing, New York, Lagos and Paris, where he had his first show in 2007. His participation at the Couture Fashion Week in Paris led to his nomination as one of the top 10 emerging designers in the FIMA: Afrique est la mode pan African fashion contest. Sindi says his runway show in Paris remains the highlight of his career because “It was the time and place where I solidified my aesthetic and found my voice as a designer.”as another factor that attracted me to it”, he says.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Emma Lindqvist is a masters student in Fashion Design at the Swedish School of Textiles and winner of this year's Lindex Design Award at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Stockholm . Her latest collection TOMORROW by Emma Lindqvist is based on her graduation collection 5-i-9, and consists of 10 garments with prints that vary from colourful pixel patterns to more graphic, black and white themes.